An electronic shifter for a transmission of a vehicle, also known as a “shift-by-wire” system, receives a gear control input from a driver, which is used, e.g., by a controller, to electronically control the transmission to shift to a desired gear specified by the gear control input. Because there is no mechanical linkage between the electronic shifter and the transmission, the position of the electronic shifter must be known at all times. Faults or malfunctions of the electronic shifter could potentially occur due to unplugged connectors, blown fuses, or any loss of communication between the controller and the electronic shifter. In these situations, conventional electronic shifter systems command the transmission to a park gear until the fault or malfunction is no longer present (also known as “park lock”). While mechanical release systems exist, these systems disengage the park lock and transition the transmission into a neutral gear. The vehicle, however, although moveable (pushable), is still not driveable, i.e., the transmission is not able to be shifted into drive. Thus, while conventional electronic shifter systems work for their intended purpose, there remains a need for improvement in the relevant art.